If you opened this article, it means you care about your pet’s diet. To keep him healthy, he needs proper nutrition.

The question of whether you can eat raw meat is not so simple. There are many pros and cons. Let's figure it out.

Digestive system of dogs

Dogs are carnivores, and as such, their jaws are designed to make it easier to grasp and tear off flesh. They mostly swallow in large chunks. There is no need for thorough grinding, since the acidity of the gastric juice of this animal is very high. The stomach, as it were, chews the contents with its muscles.

This suggests that nature initially predisposed them to consume such a product without negative consequences for the body. This is her physiology. Therefore, the question of whether a dog can eat meat right away. It’s another matter if it is said in its raw form.

Why is this useful?

Meat products - important element dog nutrition. It contains a lot useful substances. When it is added to the diet, the animal becomes more energetic, the coat shines, and health improves. After all, such food contains a lot of protein, so necessary for a dog. Everyone knows that protein is building material fabrics.

In meat without heat treatment most useful microelements. When thinking about what kind of meat to give your dog: raw or boiled, you should choose raw.

What are the contraindications?

But it’s worth figuring out whether a dog can eat raw meat, since this product can only be given to a healthy animal.

• If your pet has problems with the digestive system and does not digest this food well, you need to reconsider its diet. You can pay attention to the quadruped's stool. If after eating the product it is not the same as usual, the animal may have problems digesting it. Even poor digestibility is possible, in addition, there may be an allergy to this product. In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian.
• If your dog has liver and kidney problems, giving it chicken is dangerous. It contains many purines, which promote the secretion of uric acid.
• If you decide to feed your pet a new type of meat, introduce it into the diet gradually and monitor the body’s reaction.

Possible danger

Although beneficial, raw flesh can be dangerous.

Another danger lies in the bones. Keep an eye on your dog if you give meat to them. From the above, it is clear that pets do not try to chew their food well. Swallow it in large pieces. Therefore, there is a high probability of choking, especially if a piece of bone is bitten off along with the flesh. It may simply not be noticed. And even more so, you don’t need to cook the bones. If raw bone tissue dissolves in gastric juice, then boiled bone tissue is difficult to break down and can make it difficult to stool.

What meat to choose for a dog

When feeding your dog raw meat, you need to know which one is best to give.

• A good option is beef, but it should not be too fatty. Offal also has a place in dog nutrition. However, they should not completely replace the meat diet. By-products contain little protein. They are not treated as main source nutrients.
• Lamb, horse meat, and venison are excellent foods for dogs.
• Rabbit meat should be given with caution. Pets may be allergic to this product.
• Pork should not be given raw, as pigs are often carriers of rabies, helmethiosis and other equally dangerous diseases.
• Bird. It is better not to feed chicken from the store - it contains a lot of antibiotics. This may develop allergies. Turkey meat is possible, since it is grown in completely different conditions and without harmful additives. Poultry meat is fatty, so you shouldn’t overuse it. Serve without skin and bones. Exclude heads and necks. This also applies to goose, duck and other birds.

From all of the above, we conclude that feeding your dog raw meat is possible and necessary if it is healthy. You just need to listen to some advice. This will help avoid problems.

The dog should receive a varied diet. Don't forget to feed her and others healthy products. Meat is only part of the diet.

Thanks to following these simple rules, Your pet will be healthy and happy.

When choosing meat, you need to look at its quality - one should be rich scarlet color(If we're talking about about beef), not have an unpleasant “rotten” or foreign smell. Dogs are not fed fatty meats and pulp. It would be a mistake to think that mini breeds or puppies benefit from tenderloin. Dogs should choose meat that is as rich as possible in connective tissue - veins, cartilage, and membrane fascia. A good example and an excellent choice for a puppy and transition period Flank can serve. Expensive tenderloin, marbled beef and veal are not recommended for dogs. First of all, the owner's choice is lean soup beef of the 2nd grade and its offal.

1. BEEF: soup meat, flank, beef cheeks, azu/goulash meat, cutlet meat, head cut, pick meat, sublingual cut.

By-products of category 1 are not inferior to meat in terms of nutritional value and taste. They consist mainly of complete proteins: lean meat trimmings, beef udder, beef heart, kaltyki, trachea, kidneys (preferably soaked), beef liver, beef tongues, bovine eggs (testes).
By-products of category 2 have lower nutritional value, as they contain mostly defective proteins: heads (without tongues), beef legs, lungs, beef ears, meat-and-bone tail, lips, esophageal meat, stomach - black unpeeled tripe, book, mesh and knotted mass (intestines), spleen, lip-noses - section from the lips and nasal part, neck, culverts and trachea, with removed thyroid gland, eyes, soup set, diaphragm.
Products such as: beef and veal legs, hooves, knees, beef ears, lipstick, ox root (it is good to dry it in the oven) - are given as nibbles after meals or can be used for cooking jellied meat and obtaining natural gelatin - this is a good natural source collagen and analogue of chondoprotectors.

Filtration organs: liver, kidneys, lung (boiled or dried in the oven for delicacy), spleen is fed no more than 1-2 times a week. In principle, I would exclude the spleen from the diet. Tracheas are given in small quantities, the lung is a rather empty product, it is given in a mix with other offal. By-products of category 1 can be given in equal quantities with muscle meat, by-products of category 2 have incomplete proteins and are given 1.5 times more.

2. LENT LAMB
Lean lamb and its by-products are fed: stomach, kidneys, liver, heart, testes. Lamb meat is a low-allergenic dietary product, but it is important to choose leaner cuts and parts of the carcass.

3. CHICKEN
Chicken meat causes allergies in many dogs, but if it is well tolerated, it is great addition to beef, and sometimes the main product in the diet. Chicken, like all meats, is fed raw. You can offer your dog chicken and its by-products: fillet, trimmings, chicken backs with the skeleton, a cut from the thigh, carefully wings (removing 1 phalanx), necks, paws without claws and heads without beak; chicken hearts are a valuable product, chicken liver and ventricles. For puppies and mini breeds, it is better to start with softer heads, having previously beaten them with a hammer. Valuable gelatin is obtained from paws and heads and jellied meat is cooked for large breed puppies.

4. TURKEY is a good dietary protein that is easily digestible. Muscular meat and offal are fed: fillet, thigh cut, trimmings, trimmings for goulash, turkey heart, turkey gizzards, turkey liver, heads without beaks and paws without claws.

5. DUCK BY-PRODUCTS - duck meat itself is expensive, although it is considered a valuable dietary product; from fillet, cut into strips and dried in the oven, you can prepare a valuable delicacy, but more often (due to the high price), duck by-products are fed to dogs: stomachs, hearts, necks, liver - they are sold already in the form of a ready-made soup set.

6. LEAN PORK (FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE) - Contrary to popular belief, your dog can sometimes be fed lean pork from a reputable supplier. The most suitable for this purpose are: “lean parts, the so-called lean pork - tenderloin, carbonate, shoulder. In addition, pork heart is much less fatty than, for example, veal. But the heart is a valuable product in the diet - it is a rich source of protein, fat, macro- and microelements. You can also introduce pork cartilage (without fatty tissue on it), knuckles, ears and other parts of the carcass without excess fatty tissue into the dog’s diet" (c). Ogneva.

7. RABBIT MEAT AND BY-PRODUCTS
An excellent dietary meat given on occasion is rabbit meat and its by-products. This is expensive meat and is not often found in dogs’ diets. Nevertheless, heart, liver, rabbit feet, giblets, washed intestines, kidneys, etc. are fed.

8. QUAIL, OSTRICH meat by-products (ostrich necks), tails and NUTRIA meat, DEER MEAT, HORSE MEAT and other delicacies can also be occasionally present in the diet, but it is absolutely not necessary to chase them specifically and spend your budget. The main meat in the diet is what is most affordable in price and quality in a given region.

Meat is very important product nutrition in feeding dogs. In its raw form, meat contains many beneficial and nutritious properties. The main thing is that it is free of fat, which is bad for the dog’s liver.

In the dog’s stomach, nature provides for the secretion of special digestive juices that are specifically designed for digestion raw meat. And in the stomach and intestines of a dog, it is the food of the predator that is best digested - poultry, lamb, beef, horse meat.

What are the benefits of meat for dogs?

• The healthiest and richest in nutrients for dogs is beef tripe. It contains: iron, phosphorus, zinc, enzymes and cellulose, which improve the digestive process. B vitamins are found in large quantities in lamb. They improve the condition of the skin and are responsible for the functioning of muscles and mucous membranes. Beef is good for a lot of iron, which is responsible for energy balance and hemoglobin production.
• It is generally not recommended to give pork meat to a dog: it does not bring any benefit, but it overloads the stomach.
• There is still much more meat suitable for feeding a dog. In addition to lamb and beef, it can be horse meat, meat of wild animals, rodents, birds, sea animals (seal, whale, dolphin, walrus, beluga whale), frogs and even dogs.

A dog's menu should contain at least 30% meat. The following calculation is also carried out: for 1 kg of animal you need 15-20 grams of meat per day. That is, a medium-sized dog needs about 300 grams of meat. Also, the daily amount of meat depends on the gender, age, body weight, work performed and the health status of the animal.

Should I feed my dog ​​raw meat or not?

Despite the fact that dogs are predators and in nature their ancestors eat only raw meat, owners of cultivated breeds seriously argue about the form in which meat should be given to the dog, boiled or cheese.

As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. That is, the choice of meat depends on certain factors.

• For example, it is necessary to boil the meat of farm animals that have died from non-communicable diseases or died from accidents. Also, the salted meat of sea animals is first soaked and then boiled.
• Be sure to cook offal: kidneys, liver, heart, udder, as well as chicken meat. They contain many toxins and are dangerous when eaten raw.

Boiled meat is less beneficial for a dog's diet, but it is much safer. Therefore, it is better to cook meat of unknown or dubious origin.

It is worth considering that raw meat has much more protein than cooked meat. That is raw product The dog will eat up faster, and he will have to be given about twice as much boiled food.

But you can't cook it. Raw bone It simply dissolves in the dog’s stomach, but boiled food is almost indigestible and can make it difficult to pass stool and make it too hard.

As for the debate on what is better for a dog: natural meat or dry food, we can say that the right balance is maintained in expensive ones natural products V the right proportions. By feeding it, you don’t have to worry about the levels of minerals and nutrients. Also, the meat there is tested and safe. However, it is very beneficial to give your dog natural meat and tripe from time to time.

What kind of meat do you feed your dog? Did you know that some species are vital, while others should be abandoned so as not to harm your pet? Let's understand the correct meat diet for your dog.

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What does meat mean in a dog’s life?

The omnivorous nature of a dog influences the belief that meat for dogs is simply necessary. Owners are faced with different opinions on dog breeding forums. Many say that it is worth accustoming puppies to the product from childhood, others say that only low-fat varieties are allowed.

Which meat food should a pet have? Initially, it is worth remembering that protein is necessary for the animal to provide normal processes cell division, work internal organs, hematopoiesis. As in the human body, meat products serve as the main source of protein for building muscles and maintaining bone health.

Meat contains necessary list essential amino acids necessary for the animal to function internal organs. The protein requirement of dogs is much higher than that of humans; it is necessary to formulate the diet so that its total share is not lower than 40-50% - this is an opinion recognized among veterinarians.

Meat for dogs is necessary - that's a fact.

Pork in the diet

Most controversial issue- pork. Associated with it large number debates on forums among veterinarians. Why shouldn't dogs be given pork? Adherents of the opinion that there is no need to contain this product in an animal’s diet believe that pork is too heavy a product. It is considered “heavy” for the liver, so many dogs, due to the presence of chronic diseases of this organ, simply will not be able to properly digest the product without harm to health.

The second argument in favor of excluding pork from the diet is Aujeszky's disease. This is a disruption of the central nervous system animal caused by a virus that is contained exclusively in the DNA of piglets or pigs. You can eliminate the risk of disease by preferring only heat-treated pork in your diet.

And lastly, a large number of antibiotics to increase the weight of pigs, which are used by unscrupulous farmers. It is worth saying that answering the question why dogs should not be given pork in this way is reckless. With any product there is a risk of contamination by bacteria and viruses that enter there due to the deliberate actions of manufacturers.

Beef on the menu

Beef is the healthiest animal food you can give your pet. If you don’t want to put extra strain on your pet’s liver, choose frozen beef trimmings, which can often be found in markets or supermarkets.

The advantage of beef is its low fat content. The product does not increase cholesterol and does not burden the pet’s liver. After heat treatment with cold, all potentially harmful bacteria and microorganisms die. A dog will not become infected with worms from beef - this is a big plus. It is better to choose meat from a mature animal, since veal is considered not healthy enough for raw feeding due to its low content of amino acids and vitamins.

Bird

The bird should also be treated with caution. You should not lean on the chicken - it may contain salmonella, so it can be given only after preliminary heat treatment. Chicken is often not tolerated by many dogs due to increased risk occurrence of allergic reactions.

Control the amount of goose and duck on the menu. This is the most fatty types birds, they affect the functioning of the pancreas and liver.

Among birds, it is better to give preference to turkey and game. Choose lean parts without bones (they are too small, the dog eats them whole, which contributes to constipation), select the skin.

Raw meat: is it possible or necessary?

The risk of raw meat comes down mainly to the risk of infection with viruses and helminths that are present in animal products that have not undergone heat treatment. On the other hand, the absence of raw meat will deprive the dog of those beneficial substances that the cooking process kills. Raw meat needs to be frozen to kill harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
Poultry can be given only boiled; raw pork is also best avoided.

Without heat treatment, dogs are given only beef, lamb, and game.

The video covers in detail the issue of raw meat products in an animal’s diet.

For adult dogs

Adult dogs can be fed raw meat, but uncooked food should be treated with caution. You should not give your animal raw poultry and pork - they contain a large number of potentially harmful microorganisms. The risk of helminth infection cannot be excluded.

It is also worth choosing only trusted sellers when feeding raw. It is safer to purchase meat products only in supermarkets - they must carry out quality control of the products; such measures are not carried out on the market. Even an adult animal should not be completely switched to a raw food diet.

Enrich your diet with by-products, which are served only in heat-treated form - they accumulate animal waste products and are of no use to your pet. Combine raw and cooked meats, be sure to add grains to cleanse the intestines with fiber and remove residues from the digestive process.

For puppies

It is better not to give raw meat to puppies at all. They are introduced to meat as such only from three months, but they start with boiled beef or game. Raw meat can harm the puppy’s digestive system, which has not yet fully developed.

If you want to accustom your baby to raw meat in the future, then first you should give frozen foods, and only then completely raw meat. Puppies need to be given more meat, up to 30 g per kilogram of weight - you can give both raw frozen meat and cooked meat together. At the end of the period intensive growth, the need for meat products drops by half.

The basis of the puppy’s meat menu is beef, game, and lean parts of turkey. By-products are introduced carefully - only after heat treatment!

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Veterinarians advise:

1. Rely on lean meats in your pet's diet; puppies should not be given pork.
2. Feed only thermally processed chicken and offal.
3. Carry out regular deworming when feeding raw food.
4. If you don’t have the opportunity to create a balanced meat diet yourself, choose wet food premium.

Video “How to feed a dog properly”

Watch the video to get answers to questions about proper diet nutrition for your pet.

No matter how hard it may be to believe when looking at a Chinese Crested or Spitz, any dog ​​is first and foremost a predator, close relative wolf and fox. This means that the basis of the animal’s diet should be meat. This is the most natural, natural food for canines, necessary for their health and longevity.

Benefit

Meat - best source protein, which is necessary for the health and energy of the pet. Dog breeders note that when transferring animals to natural nutrition, including raw meat, the dogs’ coat and skin condition improves, their activity increases, and their immunity improves.

The diet should not consist only of proteins, this can also lead to illness. The animal's menu should contain both carbohydrates (cereals) and fiber (vegetables).

When prohibited

The bitch should not be given meat for five days after giving birth. This is a high-calorie food that can cause increased lactation. Newborn puppies will not have time to drink this milk. The result may be inflammation of the mammary glands.

What to choose

Any meat you choose for your dog should not contain fatty layers. But there may well be veins, cartilage, etc. in it.

Beef

One of the most common types of meat used in feeding dogs. Beef is not allergenic, unlike chicken, and does not contain too much fat, unlike pork. Suitable for almost all breeds. Optimal in terms of benefit/price ratio. Contains a lot of iron, which is responsible for hematopoiesis.

Beef is preferable to dogs for dogs because it has better vitamin and amino acid composition.

Mutton

Suitable for most breeds, non-allergenic. Contains many B vitamins, beneficial for coat and muscles. It is advisable to choose young lamb.

Horse meat

Easier to digest meat than beef, not fatty, non-allergenic. However, for daily feeding doesn't fit. Some dogs don't like the taste.

Venison

The best meat for pets, less fatty than beef and horse meat, highly digestible, nutritious, very healthy. The only drawback of venison is high price. In addition, such meat can be difficult to find in the store.

Pork

Controversial meat for many breeds. Pork has a high fat content, which makes it less digestible than other types. Such meat can lead to indigestion and pancreatitis. Pork is contraindicated for some breeds (small, decorative, with sensitive digestion) and dogs prone to obesity. Pork is prohibited for puppies under three months of age.

Lean pork (shoulder, tenderloin) can be given in winter to dogs living in outdoor enclosures, chain dogs, and large energetic pets. It is preferable to boil it, since raw pork may contain worm eggs.

Rabbit meat

Dietary, but not suitable for all dogs. For the first time, give the animal a small piece and monitor its condition. You can continue to feed rabbit meat only if there are no signs of allergy.

Chicken

Chicken contains allergens and is therefore not suitable for breeds prone to allergic reactions. For the first time, give a small piece and monitor the dog’s reaction and condition. Be sure to boil chicken, as it may contain salmonella.

Turkey

Dietary, suitable for most dogs, but it is important to check for the absence of an allergic reaction.

Duck, goose

Fatty meat. It is permissible to give it, but only occasionally, without skin and only in boiled form.

Can dogs fish?

You can give fish, but only oceanic, low-fat fish and not every day (once or twice a week). It is best to boil fish.

River fish, any fatty fish(for example, catfish) is contraindicated for dogs.

Make sure that there are no bones in the dog's portion of fish: the animal can choke on them.

By-products

You can add offal to your dog's diet - kidneys, liver, heart, stomachs, etc., but they should not completely replace meat. By-products are given in boiled form. Their nutritional value lower than that of raw lean meat. You can give it once or twice a week.

Beef tripe can be fed raw to your dog. Tripe is very useful, it contains phosphorus, zinc, iron, cellulose, and improves digestion.

Chicken bones, heads, and necks should not be given, as this will lead to constipation.

In what form to give

It is best to feed your dog raw meat; it is much healthier for the animal. Digestive system Canines are adapted by nature specifically for digesting raw meat. At the same time, special digestive enzymes in gastric juice neutralize most pathogenic bacteria.

An alternative to raw meat is boiled meat.

More boiled meat is required, but it is digested worse and brings much less benefit. It is recommended to boil meat only if there is doubt about its quality.

It is forbidden to give fried or smoked meat to dogs.

Raw meat is given in large pieces so that the dog has to tear them with his teeth and chew them. This promotes natural teeth cleaning. Exception - small breeds dogs. It is better to give them small pieces.

Bones are only given raw. Boiled bone may lead to constipation.

How to process

Boiled pork and chicken are given to dogs. The meat is cut into pieces, dipped in boiling water and boiled for about 20 minutes.

You can dry the meat in the oven for about six hours at 120 degrees to get solid pieces. But such a treat should be given only occasionally; it is digested much worse than raw meat.

To keep your pet as safe as possible, some dog breeders recommend freezing meat. Cut the meat into pieces and place in plastic bag and leave in the freezer until completely frozen. Thaw in portions (that is, take out a portion only for the day each time).

It is better to defrost in the refrigerator for several hours. In the microwave, meat may be partially cooked.

With any cooking method, you should never add salt or any spices.

Daily ration

Meat should account for an average of 30-40% of the total food that the animal eats daily. When calculating the required amount, you should take into account the breed, gender, weight, temperament and lifestyle of the pet.

So, if a dog lives in an apartment and doesn’t run around much, 10-20 grams of meat per day per kilogram of weight may be enough for him. Active, energetic, athletic young dog, a working animal (hunter, rescuer, etc.) needs more - up to 30 grams of meat per day per kilogram of its weight.

The norms for growing puppies have been increased, because they need a lot of microelements to form all body systems. In addition, at the age of about a year, most dogs are especially active and mobile, which means they need a complete protein diet.

The table below shows approximate values ​​for pets different breeds(in kilograms per day).

You can use the following formula for calculations: X * 2/100, where X is the weight of the dog. For example, if a dog weighs 30 kg, multiply this number by two, divide by one hundred and get 0.6 kg of meat per day.

The rate should be increased for very active dog, for a weakened dog (for example, after an illness) or in the fight against obesity (the number of fats and carbohydrates decreases, the percentage of proteins - meat increases). Then the formula will look like this: X*3/100. For example, if the dog weighs the same 30 kg, multiply by three, divide by one hundred and get 0.9 kg per day.

Features of feeding puppies

Puppies begin to be given raw meat in the form of minced meat from one to two months a couple of times a week, gradually increasing the portion.

From three months, instead of minced meat, they give minced meat in the form of small pieces.

Adult dogs are not fed minced meat; it is less digestible than whole meat.